Safety ski binding

ABSTRACT

Ski binding with a heel or toe clamp which is upwardly swingable against a spring force and is normally restrained against lateral motion by a fixed or spring-loaded abutment or abutments from which the clamp escapes upon an upward swing so as to become freely pivotable about a horizontal axis or transversely shiftable by generally parallelogrammatic motion.

United States Patent restrained against lateral motion by .a fixed or spring-loaded [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.851.278 9/l958 Berlenbach. 280/1135 $326,567 6/1967 Pronzatil 280/1 L35 Primary Examiner--Benjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-Robert R. Song Attorney-Karl F. Ross ABSTRACT: Ski binding with a heelor toe clamp which is upwardly swingable against a spring force and is normally abutment or abutments from which the clamp escapes upon an upward swing so as to become freely pivotable about a horizontal axis or transversely shiftable by generally parallelogrammatic motion. 7

Inventor Georges P. J. Salomon 34, avenue de Loverchy, Anecy, France Appl. No 803,271 Filed Feb. 28, 1969 Patented July 20, 1971 Priority Feb. 28, 1968, Feb. 19, 1969 France 1030-74 and 6904385 SAFETY SKI BINDING 15 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs. U.S. C l ..1 .280/1 1.35 T Int. Cl .4 l r. A63c 9/00 Field of Search 280/1 1..35 AA :::,7,::::, ll'll llll' l l A s 22 'izrzi'l'ia r A PATENTEB JUL20 I971 3 59 014 sum 1 or s Georges P J. Salomon INVENTOR. 1 BY Afton: e y

PATENTEnJuLzo Ian SHEET 2 0F 5 Georges P J. Salomon INVENTOR.

PATENTEDJUL20I97: 3,594,014

SHEET 3 OF 5 FIG. 5' 70 Georges P J. Salomon INVENTUR.

PATENTEB JUL20 l9?! 59 O 1 4 sum u [If 5 FIG.8

Georges P J. Salomon INVENTOR.

PATENTEI] JUL2O lsm SHEET 5 OF 5 102 mp 19s 105 I I I04 101 10 6 Georges PJ. Salomon SAFETY SKI BINDING My present invention relates to a safety ski binding of the type wherein a boot-engaging clamp is laterally movable, in response to severe stresses, to release the boot of a skier.

Ski bindings are also known in which a heel or toe clamp may swing upwardly to let the engaged boot escape in the event of a fall.

The general object of my present invention is to provide a simple and dependable construction combining these two types of escapement.

A more particular object is to provide means in a ski binding of this sort for enabling substantially unimpeded lateral motion of the clamp on its supporting base, with which it is normally aligned, once the clamp has been swung outwardly in response to abnormal stresses, thereby promptly freeing the foot of a falling skier.

It is also an object of my invention to provide means for independently adjusting the forces resisting the lateral and upward escaping motions of a boot clamp in order to allow proper balancing of the normally occurring stresses.

These objects are realized, pursuant to my present invention, by the provision of a support which mounts the clamp onto a base with freedom of upward swinging about a horizontal axis and lateral motion transversely to the runner to which the base is fastened, the upward swing being resisted by a spring or equivalent biasing means while the lateral motion is restrained by one or more abutments which, whether fixed on spring-loaded, are independent of the aforesaid biasing means.

According to a more specific feature of my invention, the abutment or abutments are so arranged that the clamp becomes disengaged therefrom upon swinging upwardly against the biasing force. Thus, the clamp (or some other ele ment coupled therewith for joint rotation about a vertical axis) may have one or more independent formations normally engaging a transverse edge of the baseplate, the lifting of the clamp off the baseplate disengaging these projections for free rotation. It is also possible, according to another feature of my present invention to articulate the clamp to opposite ends of a common horizontal stud forming therewith a generally parallelogrammatic linkage swingable about the stud axis, such swinging being resisted by a spring-loaded element bearing upon a flat face or similar coacting formation on the stud itself whereas the sideways excursion of the clamp is restrained by another such element bearing upon a coacting formation on one of the lateral arms of the linkage.

The above and other features of my invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of certain embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a longitudinal sectional view of a ski binding according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the binding shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 1, showing respective modifications;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of another embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side-elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the same embodiment shown in a Iaterallyswung-out position; and

FIG. 8-is a top plan view illustrating a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 57;

FIG. 9. is a view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating another modification;

FIG. I0 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line X-X of FIG. 9; and

FIG. ll is a side-elevational view, similar to FIG. 6, of the ski binding shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 I have shown a boot I resting on a ski runner 2 to which a base plate 16 is secured by several screws 20. A post 13, rising from the plate 16, forms a fulcrum for a clamp-supporting member 6 which is thus swingable about vertical axis. The post 13 has a flat face 17 engaged by a plunger 18 which is slidablc within housing member 6, in the longitudinal direction of the runner 2, under the pressure of a coil spring 19 whose stress can be adjusted by a knurled screw cap 22.

Rotatably journaled in an end of member 6 proximal to the boot I, with the aid of another vertical post 9, is a lever 8 received in a horizontal slot of that end. Post 9 is hollow and accommodates a compression spring 11 bearing upon another plunger 12 which acts upon the beveled underside of a rearward extension 3 of a clamp 3 pivotally secured to lever 8 by means of a horizontal pin 7. Clamp 3 has a boot-engaging overhang 3 inches normally bearing from above upon the sole of the boot I at either the heel or the toe thereof; pin 7 thus defines a horizontal axis about which the clamp 3 may swing upwardly, against the biasing force of spring 11, to release the boot.

Any swinging of the clamp 3 about. its vertical pivotal axis, defined by post 9, is normally restrained by a pair of depending projections 21, 21' of the clamp which straddle the lever 8 and engage a transverse edge 16' (FIG. 2) of baseplate 16. Thus, as long as the boot I does not rise from the runner 2 to swing the clamp 3 counterclockwise (as viewed in FIG. 1) against the force of spring 11, the clamp 3 and its supporting link 8 will not be able to pivot sideways, about the axis of post 9, to any significant extent. In response to severe lateral stresses, however, the entire assembly 6, 8, 3 may pivot on a larger radius about the fulcrum 13 as soon as the force of spring 19 is overcome so that the detent l8 releases the assembly from its indexed position.

It is, however, relatively rare that the binding of a skier involved in an accident should be subjected only to lateral stresses. More commonly, therefore, such accidents will cause the overhanging clamp edge 3 inches to rise whereby projections 21 and 22 are detached from plate edge 16' so that the clamp 3 can now swing freely to either side, independently of its support 6, to release the boot 1.

FIG. 3 shows a generally similar binding wherein, however, a clamp 27 is mounted on an extension 29 for relative pivotal motion about a veritcal axis defined by a pin 28, the assembly 27, 29 being jointly swingable about a horizontal pin 30 secured to an extremity of a supporting member 26 comparable to member 6 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Member 26 again forms a housing for a compression spring 33 whose stress may be adjusted by a threaded plug 37 and which, through the intermediary of a washer 38, bears upon a detent in the form of a ball 32 serving to index the member 26 in its normal position by engaging in a recess 36 of a post 31.. The latter is here hollow and accommodates a spring 111 driving a plunger 112 outwardly against a spur 29' of link 29, thereby urging the overhanging edge 27' of clamp 27 into contact with the sole of the boot.

The operation of this device is similar to that of the embodiment shown in the preceding Figures, with a pair of depending formations 121 (only one shown) on clamp 27 normally hearing upon a transverse edge of a baseplate 1 16 carrying the post 31. Thus, if the assembly 27, 28 swings counterclockwise against the biasing force of sing lll, clamp 27 is again free to turn to either side and disengage the boot even if member 26 remains indexed.

FIG. 4 shows a base 43 on which a rocker arm 41 is mounted with the aid ofa pin 42 for swinging about a horizontal axis, such swinging being resisted by a biasing spring 46 bearing upon a spur 41' of arm 41 into which a screw 47 is adjustably threaded to vary the pressure of that spring. A clamp 48, generally similar to the clamps 3 and 27 of the preceding Figures, is pivotable about a vertical pin 49 held in a projecting end of a supporting lever 50 whose other end is received in a horizontal slot of arm 41 for pivotal movement about the axis of a post 52. A transverse pin 51 immobilizes the clamp support 50 with reference to post 52, the latter having an indentation 52' engaged by a spherical detent 56 under pressure of a spring 53 lodged in arm 41. As before, a pair of projections 221 (only one shown) depending from clamp 48 normally rest against an edge of the base 43 to restrain its lateral mobility with reference to that base about a vertical axis (i.e. the axis of pin 49) relatively close to the boot-engaging edge 48 of the clamp; the mobility of the larger assembly 48, 50 about the axis of stud 52, which is relatively remote from clamp edge 48', is, however, not materially impeded by these abutments inasmuch as only a very slight compression of biasing spring 46 is necessary to let these projections clear the edge of the baseplate. This is also true, ofcoursc, of the bindings shown in FIGS. 13 where the rotation of the larger assembly about a relatively remote vertical axis is resisted almost exclusively by the indexing means 18 or 32.

In FIGS. -7 l have illustrated another embodiment wherein a clamp 67 is part ofa generally parallelogrammatic linkage including a pair of lateral anns 63, 66 articulated at 62 to opposite ends of a horizontal stud 61 which is rotatably lodged in a base 60 so as to form a hinge joint therewith. This base forms two parallel cylinders for a pair of pistons 68, 69 which are urged toward stud 61 by respective coil springs 70 whose pressure may be adjusted by respective screws 74, 74'. Piston 68 bears upon a flat end 71 ofclamp-supporting arm 63 so as to restrain, any lateral displacement of clamp 67, e.g. as illustrated in FIG. 7. Piston 69 similarly coacts with a flattened face 72 of stud 61 to resist rotation of that stu'd about its horizontal axis, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The biasing forces opposing these two escapement motions may thus be independently adjusted with the aid ofscrews 74 and 74.

When the clamp 67 is swung upwardly on its support 61, 63, 66, as'indicated arrow 73 in FIG. 6, end face 71 of arm 63 disengages itself to a greater or less extent from piston 68 so that the clamp 67 becomes readily movable to one sideor the other for completely releasing the boot 1.

FIG. 8 shows a generally similar ski binding whose base 80 carries two pistons 90, 90' corresponding to pistons 69, 68 of FlGS. 57. Piston 90 acts upon a flattened end face 91 of a lateral arm 81 of a generally parallelogrammatic linkage which, in addition to a horizontal stud 83 joumaled on base 80, also includes a second lateral arm 82 and a crossbar 88 articulated to these arms at pivots 89. The free ends of arms 81 and 82 carry a pair of clamp jaws 86, 87 bearing upon the boot 1. These clamp jaws are again upwardly and laterally movable in response to severe stresses in the manner described with reference to the preceding embodiments.

ln FIGS. 9-1l l have shown a ski binding having the same generally parallelogrammatic clamp-supporting linkage as the device of FIGS. 5-7, this linkage being mounted on a base 100 which forms a housing for a single-biasing spring 103 anchored to a transverse bar 104 by a stem 108 and a bolt 110. The head of this bolt rests against a bifurcate extremity 113 of stem 108 and is held in position by a nut 115 enabling its lateral shifting within a curved slot 101. The flattened extremities 105, 106 of bar 104 bear upon the pistons 68 and 69 under the urging of biasing spring 103 whose pressure may be varied with the aid ofa screw cap 102.

In order to vary the relative magnitude of the components of this spring pressure acting upon pistons 68 and 69, the pin 110 may be displaced in slot 101 to one side or the other so as to shift the point of attack of the spring within a zone generally midway between the two pistons.

As described in connection with FIG. 6 an upward swing of the clamp 67 to release the boot 1 (arrow 109 in FIG. 11) substantially decouples the parallelogrammatic linkage 63, 66, 67 from the abutting face of piston 68 so that a virtually unrestrained sideways motion of the clamp becomes possible.

It will be understood that compatible features of different embodiments may be interchanged, e.g. by substituting the linkage of FIG. 8 for that shown in FIGS. 91 1.

I claim: 1

1. A ski binding comprising a base adapted to be fixed to a runner; a boot-engaging clamp; support means mounting said clamp on said base with freedom of upward swinging about a horizontal axis and lateral motion transversely to the runner to release an engaged boot; biasing means on said base resisting said upward swinging; and abutment means on said base independent of said biasing means for restraining said lateral motion, said clamp being mounted for disengagement from said abutment means upon upward swinging against the force of said biasing means.

2. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a member pivotally secured to said base for rotation about a first vertical axis relatively remote from a boot-engaging portion of said clamp, said clamp being mounted on said member for rotation relative thereto about a second vertical axis relatively close to said boot-engaging portion; further comprising detent means yieldably indexing said member in an operative position aligned with the boot on said base, said abutment means substantially restraining rotation of said clamp about said second vertical axis only.

3. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said base is provided with an upstanding post centered on said first vertical axis and forming a fulcrum for said member, said detent means including a spring-loaded element on said member engaging a coacting formation on said post.

4. A ski binding as defined in claim 3 wherein said post is hollow and upwardly open, said clamp having an extension overhanging said post, said biasing means including a springloaded element in said post bearing from below upon said extension.

5. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said clamp has an extension coupled therewith for joint swinging about said horizontal axis, said biasing means including a mobile element resiliently bearing upon said extension at a point substantially coinciding with one of said vertical axis 6. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said abutment means comprises a downwardly projecting formation coupled with said clamp for joint rotation about said second vertical axis, said formation normally bearing upon a transverse edge of said base.

7. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a first member pivotally secured to said base for rotation about a first axis and a second member articulated to said first member and to said clamp for relative rotation about a second a axis, respectively, one of said axes being said horizontal axis, the other two axes being vertical, one of said vertical axes being relatively remote from a boot-engaging portion of said clamp, the other of said vertical axes being relatively close to said boot-engaging portion; further comprising detent means yieldably indexing said members in an operative position aligned with the boot on said base; said abutment means substantially restraining rotation of said clamp about said relatively close vertical axis only.

8. A ski binding as defined in claim 7 wherein said first member is vertically swingable on said base, said second member being provided with a pair of vertical pins spaced in longitudinal direction of the runner and pivotally linking said second member with said first member and said clamp, respectively.

9. A ski binding comprising a base adapted to be fixed to a runner; a boot-engaging clamp; support means mounting said clamp on said base, said support means including a hinge joint on said base with a horizontal axis transverse to said runner and a linkage articulated to said hinge joint and said clamp with relative horizontal mobility for allowing the clamp to swing upwardly about said axis together with said linkage and to move horizontally with reference to said base in a direction substantially parallel to said axis; biasing means on said base resisting upward swinging of said linkage and clamp; and abutment means on said base independent of said biasing means for restraining transverse horizontal motion of said clamp.

10. A ski binding as defined in claim 9 wherein said clamp is mounted for disengagement from said abutment means upon upward swinging against the force of said biasing means.

11. A ski binding as defined in claim 10 wherein said support comprises a stud centered on said horizontal axis and rotatably carried on said base, said stud forming with said clamp a generally parallelogrammatic linkage enabling movement of said clamp generally parallel to said horizontal axis, said linkage including a first arm articulated to one end of said stud and a second arm articulated to the other end of said stud, said biasing means including a first spring-loaded element engaging a coacting first formation on one of said arms, said abutment means including a second spring-loaded element engaging a coacting second formation on said stud.

12. A ski binding as defined in claim 11 wherein said first and second spring-loaded elements are respective extremities of a transverse bar generally parallel to said stud and provided with a loading spring engaging said bar substantially midway between said extremities 13. A ski binding as defined in claim 12 wherein said bar and said loading spring are provided with adjustable joint means for transversely shifting their point of engagementv 14. A ski binding as defined in claim 9 wherein said hinge joint comprises a transverse stud horizontally journaled on said base, said linkage including a pair of generally parallel arms articulated to opposite ends of said stud.

15. A ski binding as defined in claim 14 wherein said biasing means includes a first spring-loaded element engaging a coaeting first formation on one of said arms. said abutment means including a second spring-loaded element engaging a coacting second formation on said stud. 

1. A ski binding comprising a base adapted to be fixed to a runner; a boot-engaging clamp; support means mounting said clamp on said base with freedom of upward swinging about a horizontal axis and lateral motion transversely to the runner to release an engaged boot; biasing means on said base resisting said upward swinging; and abutment means on said base independent of said biasing means for restraining said lateral motion, said clamp being mounted for disengagement from said abutment means upon upward swinging against the force of said biasing means.
 2. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a member pivotally secured to said base for rotation about a first vertical axis relatively remote from a boot-engaging portion of said clamp, said clamp being mounted on said member for rotation relative thereto about a second vertical axis relatively close to said boot-engaging portion; further comprising detent means yieldably indexing said member in an operative position aligned with the boot on said base, said abutment means substantially restraining rotation of said clamp about said second vertical axis only.
 3. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said base is provided with an upstanding post centered on said first vertical axis and forming a fulcrum for said member, said detent means including a spring-loaded element on said member engaging a coacting formation on said post.
 4. A ski binding as defined in claim 3 wherein said post is hollow and upwardly open, said clamp having an extension overhanging said post, said biasing means including a spring-loaded element in said post bearing from below upon said extension.
 5. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said clamp has an extension coupled therewith for joint swinging about said horizontal axis, said biasing means including a mobile element resiliently bearing upon said extension at a point substantially coinciding with one of said vertical axis
 6. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said abutment means comprises a downwardly projecting formation coupled with said clamp for joint rotation about said second vertical axis, said formation normally bearing upon a transverse edge of said base.
 7. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a first member pivotally secured to said base for rotation about a first axis and a second member articulated to said first member and to said clamp for relative rotation about a second a axis, respectively, one of said axes being said horizontal axis, the other two axes being vertical, one of said vertical axes being relatively remote from a boot-engaging portion of said clamp, the other of said vertical axes being relatively close to said boot-engaging portion; further comprising detent means yieldably indexing said members in an operative position aligned with the boot on said base; said abutment means substantially restraining rotation of said clamp about said relatively close vertical axis only.
 8. A ski binding as deFined in claim 7 wherein said first member is vertically swingable on said base, said second member being provided with a pair of vertical pins spaced in longitudinal direction of the runner and pivotally linking said second member with said first member and said clamp, respectively.
 9. A ski binding comprising a base adapted to be fixed to a runner; a boot-engaging clamp; support means mounting said clamp on said base, said support means including a hinge joint on said base with a horizontal axis transverse to said runner and a linkage articulated to said hinge joint and said clamp with relative horizontal mobility for allowing the clamp to swing upwardly about said axis together with said linkage and to move horizontally with reference to said base in a direction substantially parallel to said axis; biasing means on said base resisting upward swinging of said linkage and clamp; and abutment means on said base independent of said biasing means for restraining transverse horizontal motion of said clamp.
 10. A ski binding as defined in claim 9 wherein said clamp is mounted for disengagement from said abutment means upon upward swinging against the force of said biasing means.
 11. A ski binding as defined in claim 10 wherein said support comprises a stud centered on said horizontal axis and rotatably carried on said base, said stud forming with said clamp a generally parallelogrammatic linkage enabling movement of said clamp generally parallel to said horizontal axis, said linkage including a first arm articulated to one end of said stud and a second arm articulated to the other end of said stud, said biasing means including a first spring-loaded element engaging a coacting first formation on one of said arms, said abutment means including a second spring-loaded element engaging a coacting second formation on said stud.
 12. A ski binding as defined in claim 11 wherein said first and second spring-loaded elements are respective extremities of a transverse bar generally parallel to said stud and provided with a loading spring engaging said bar substantially midway between said extremities.
 13. A ski binding as defined in claim 12 wherein said bar and said loading spring are provided with adjustable joint means for transversely shifting their point of engagement.
 14. A ski binding as defined in claim 9 wherein said hinge joint comprises a transverse stud horizontally journaled on said base, said linkage including a pair of generally parallel arms articulated to opposite ends of said stud.
 15. A ski binding as defined in claim 14 wherein said biasing means includes a first spring-loaded element engaging a coacting first formation on one of said arms, said abutment means including a second spring-loaded element engaging a coacting second formation on said stud. 